Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to microsystem architectures, and more specifically, to integrating a thin film microbattery with electronic circuitry.
Description of the Related Art
Solid state lithium-ion microbatteries are generally formed by two electrodes (cathode and anode) separated by an electrolyte. Such a microbattery further includes metal current collectors, made from, e.g., platinum, titanium, copper, or stainless steel. The cathode electrode is made from a compound material having intercalated lithium ions. Examples include LiCoO2 and Li2Mn2O4, etc. The electrolyte is a thin film material with a high ionic conductivity. The anode electrode is made for example from metal lithium, tin, or silicon. As materials containing lithium are very sensitive to air, and particularly to oxygen, nitrogen and moisture, they have to be covered with an inert, gas-tight protective barrier. Mastering packaging is a factor that conditions efficiency of microbatteries over time. In addition, handling and assembly of microbatteries is challenging for integration with electronic circuits and devices because of small dimensions and precision requirement.